The CoreLogic August home value index results showed that national dwelling prices increased by 0.8% over the month. This is the first monthly increase in values since October 2017. Housing values across capital cities rose by 1%, with Sydney (1.6%), Melbourne (1.4%) and Canberra (0.8%) leading the way. While the lift in housing values is substantial, the recent growth is a continuation of the trend seen throughout the year whereby value falls were consistently losing momentum, and have … [Read more...]

  At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 1.00 per cent.   After consecutive rate cuts earlier this year, the RBA Board's decision to leave the cash rate unchanged today was not unexpected.   Here are some of Philip Lowe's commentary surrounding the decision: The outlook for the global economy remains reasonable, although the risks are tilted to the downside. The trade and technology disputes are affecting international trade flows … [Read more...]

  At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 1.00 per cent.   After two months of consecutive rate cuts, the RBA Board has left the cash rate unchanged, as it waits to see the economic impact of previous rate cuts. Here are some of Philip Lowe's commentary surrounding the decision: Economic growth in Australia over the first half of this year has been lower than earlier expected, with household consumption weighed down by a protracted period of … [Read more...]

What is 'Housing Affordability'? Housing affordability refers to the relationship between expenditure on housing and household income. And according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA) Affordability Index, right now housing affordability is the best it’s been in 20 years. The HIA Affordability Index takes into account the latest dwelling prices, mortgage interest rates and wage developments. Which means that despite the fact that house prices have risen significantly faster than … [Read more...]

    The RBA has cut the official cash rate by 25 basis points to a new record low of 1%.  So, why has the RBA cut the cash rate again, after cutting the cash rate to the previously historic low of 1.25% on June 4?    RBA Governer Phillip Lowe says this second rate cut was made to support employment growth and provide greater confidence that inflation will be consistent with the medium-term target. Lowe's additional comments below re-iterate those made by the RBA post the … [Read more...]

At its meeting today, the Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 1.25 per cent. Here are some extracts from Phillip Lowe's comments following the rate decision.  At its meeting today, the Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 1.25 per cent. The Board took this decision to support employment growth and provide greater confidence that inflation will be consistent with the medium-term target. The outlook for the global economy remains reasonable, … [Read more...]

Fridges that don't fit through doorways, precariously narrow hallways and third floor apartments are just some of the things that can make moving house a nightmare.   Congratulations! You've just secured your dream home. Now the fun begins - moving time! Here are our top five tips to guarantee less mess, less stress, and ultimately, more moving success.   Make a moving list/ budget A moving budget doesn’t just help manage the cost of moving, it can also act as a checklist … [Read more...]

Let face it, most of us like to spend money. Science shows us that often when we go shopping our bodies start producing greater amounts of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine. Credit card providers know this all too well and have plenty of tricks up their sleeve to encourage us to load up that credit card. Here are some of their most common traps.   1. Points and bonuses Sometimes people end up spending a lot more on their credit cards than they would otherwise, simply … [Read more...]

Thanks to the Canberra Weekly team for sharing our story.   You can read the full article here.    … [Read more...]

Many of us pay our bills on time to avoid late fees and a bad credit rating. But there's been a big change recently which means you can now be rewarded for making timely repayments. Towards the end of 2018, ANZ, NAB, Westpac and CBA all agreed to commence Comprehensive Credit Reporting (CCR). It's something that has been around since the middle of last year, but has taken a while for the larger lenders to get onboard. CCR is seen as a more “positive” reporting system than the … [Read more...]

Thanks to the team at City News for featuring our story.   You can read the full article here.      … [Read more...]